The joint Egyptian-Italian archaeological mission working in the vicinity of the Agha Khan tomb in West Aswan, headed by Dr. Patricia Biasentini, Professor of Egyptology at the University of Milan, succeeded in discovering a new archaeological tomb carved in rock dating back to the Greco-Roman era, through the mission’s work during the last excavation season.

This was stated by Dr. Mostafa Waziri, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, explaining that the tomb consists of two parts, the first part of which is above the ground and the second carved in the rock.

Dr. Abdel  Moneim Said Mahmoud, General Manager of the Antiquities of Aswan and Nubia and head of the mission from the Egyptian side, said that the first part is a rectangular sandstone and mud-brick building with the entrance to the tomb surrounded by stone blocks covered with a mud-brick vault.

As for the second part, it is carved out of rock, and the entrance leads to a rectangular courtyard in which 4 burial chambers were carved, in which nearly 20 mummies were found, most of them in a good condition of preservation. Preliminary studies have indicated that this mass cemetery contains more than one family.

Dr. Patricia Biasentini indicated that the mission found many archaeological artifacts inside the cemetery, which date back to the Greco-Roman era, including offering tables, stone stela with texts in hieroglyphic script, and a copper necklace decorated with Greek writings and the name (Nicostratus), in addition to a number of wooden statues which  represent Ba bird and parts of colored Cartonage. During the archaeological survey in the area, a number of coffins were found in good condition, some of them were made of pottery and others were made of sandstone.